McLaren chairman Ron Dennis has admitted Fernando Alonso's place on the grid at the first race in Australia is uncertain, but he expects the Spaniard to be declared fit to race by doctors and the sport's governing body.

The Death Row Records co-founder was taken to hospital for a third time after appearing in court after telling the Los Angeles judge he has been suffering from serious health complications and receiving inadequate treatment while in custody over a murder charge.

The Death Row Records co-founder was taken to hospital for a third time after appearing in court after telling the Los Angeles judge he has been suffering from serious health complications and receiving inadequate treatment while in custody over a murder charge.

From the indie band that brought you melodically spelt out words, obtusely offbeat drums, and an oriental string instrument, comes another album that seems to be about everyday occurrences in the trio’s flat.

We see it now: Last June I took Clicks to task about its misleading sale signs after a consumer complained that he’d decided to buy an electric blanket based on the shelf sign bearing the words: "Save 30%, All electric under blankets".

Venice is beautiful at any time of year but going in winter has some added allure, writes Anthony Horowitz. He recommends where to stay, which restaurants visit and what to do while you're visiting in this Italian city

Trisha Ahmed, the daughter of slain atheist blogger and Bengali writer Avijit Roy is urging everyone to share his story in this letter that first appeared on Facebook, and was then republished at the International Humanist and Ethical Union.

Financial shambles makes mockery of world-class claims

The Times Editorial | 22 February, 2013 00:53

The Times Editorial: Auditor-general Terence Nombembe warned earlier this month that financial controls in government departments and municipalities were deteriorating and that more than half of them were unable to provide ''credible and quality information'' in their financial reports.

Irregular expenditure has continued to soar, creating an environment, according to accountant-general Freeman Nomvalo, in which tender-rigging can become commonplace.

Johannesburg, South Africa's financial hub, is not immune to this malaise.

The city, which has received a qualified audit for three years in succession, is buckling under financial strain because of mismanagement, poor financial controls - and fraud.

A scathing auditor-general's report, presented to the metro's finance committee this week, reveals that the city has failed to meet 89% of its service-delivery targets and has accumulated about R1.2-billion in debt that is effectively not recoverable because of its long-running billing crisis.

To add insult to injury, the city is overcharging ratepayers by more than a quarter-of-a-billion rands and a key subsidiary service provider, Pikitup, is in the red to the tune of more than R300-million.

If the mandarins of our most powerful city cannot get its finances in order serious questions have to be asked about the likelihood of the government's entire development project succeeding.

Hard-hitting interventions need to be made urgently if Johannesburg is going to have any hope of turning around its fortunes. Repeated bailouts by the Treasury will merely postpone the crippling of what is optimistically billed as "a world-class African city''.